Commemorating Canada: History, Heritage, and Memory, 1850s–1990s (original) (raw)

2017, American Review of Canadian Studies

View related articles View Crossmark data unproductive, beaches, PEI offered both a geographic space upon which people could project fantasies (islands) and enough natural realties to make such agrarian utopian ideals seem plausible. PEI offered an unusual basis for rural utopianism. Finally, perhaps what is most interesting about the collection is its successful use of multi-and inter-disciplinary scholarship. The essays draw separately from the expertise of not just historians, but also biologists, archeologists, and people with long records of public service. Douglas Sobey's essay perhaps stands out as the best example of this. He builds a solid argument about forest destruction that draws from historical data and scientific theory while casting a conclusion rooted as much in cultural studies as anything else. As such, the book would be a good source for any discussion on theory or methodology in environmental studies. Although many of the essays are more descriptive than analytical, perhaps a natural result of trying to do two-hundred years of history in just a few pages, they are nonetheless largely well-researched pieces that are interesting to read. Many generate more questions than answers, always helpful for in-class discussions, and in the end the book is a "must-read" for any Canadian environmental studies class or any class on Atlantic Canada.

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